Metters introduced their Nuoil windmill in 1919 as the first of the company's oil bath models. It was manufactured with 8, 10, 12 and 14 foot wind wheels, but some evidence infers that the two larger sizes may have been fitted to the same gearbox, as happened with its successor the Master Nuoil.
This model had at least five fairly major variations in its design over the years of production, but in its original format showed a great deal of homage to the American Model 602 Aermotor. There were however a number of differences, such as the use of a counterweight for regulating the wind wheel speed and an oil pump to lubricate the internal workings. Some of these were necessary because of the design deficiencies of the early Model 602.
An unusual feature of the Nuoil was that it did not use bearings for the hub shaft in the nose casting. This does not seem to have been a problem if the mill was well maintained and examples have been seen of very old operating mills with little wear.
The 1921 version of the mill displayed at the Morawa Museum included three major changes by August that year. Firstly the mounting system for the windmill head was converted to include a fixed mast pipe, which also changed the mounting system in the tower. Secondly, manual furling rerouted the former exterior controls down through the mast pipe. The third major change was to the brake, which was no longer directly linked to the tail spar, but operated a bar hinged on the left of the gearbox that was lifted by the tail spar as it pivoted in towards the wind wheel. These changes also required alterations to the main gearbox casting and the tail spar shock absorbing system.
Other fairly major alterations to the design were made in 1924, then Ca.1926 and 1929. There was also a version that could have been sold as either a Nuoil or a Master Nuoil. No advertising has so far been collected to decide this point. The Master Nuoil replaced the Nuoil in 1931.
The Nuoil is an interesting windmill because it was one of several interim designs produced throughout the 1920's by the major Australian factories, before they released simple, fairly foolproof, geared windmills in the early 1930's. In some ways Metters were further along in development than some of the others.
The Morawa Museum example of the 1921 Metters Nuoil windmill was rebuilt from windmills donated by Jim & Bruce STOKES of Merkanooka and D. E. & P. BROAD, also of Merkanooka.